Dedicated to advancing sustainable laboratories globally.
International Freezer Challenge
The International Freezer Challenge is a friendly competition co-hosted by I2SL and My Green Lab to promote best practices in cold storage management. Participants earn points based on the amount of energy they save and the cold storage management practices they implement.
In 2025, the Freezer Challenge continued to grow with over 3,700 labs participating representing 286 organizations across 36 countries. Participants performed over 136,000 direct actions to save over 31.5 million kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity. These energy savings helped reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 21,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent, which is equal to 5,000 gasoline-powered passenger vehicles removed from the road for a year!
2025 International Freezer Challenge Winners
Biotech/Pharmaceutical Sector Winners
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Top Organization Award: AstraZeneca
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Winning Streak Award: Amgen
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Large Lab Award​: Discovery Sciences Cambridge Lab, Novartis Pharmaceuticals
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Medium Lab Award: Shanghai/LPS & SM, Labcorp
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Small Lab Award: ARI Process Development, Amgen
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Small Lab Winning Streak Award: Regional HBS Centre Gothenburg Lab, AstraZeneca
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Biorepository Award: Specimen Management Indianapolis, Labcorp
Academic Sector Winners
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Top Organization Award: Johns Hopkins University
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Large Lab Award​: Devonshire Lab, Newcastle University
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Large Lab Winning Streak Award: Jaffee Lab, Johns Hopkins University
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Medium Lab Award: Tobian–Quinn Lab, Johns Hopkins University
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Small Lab Award: Subramaniam Lab, University of Alabama Birmingham
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Biorepository Award: HUVH Biobank, Vall d'Hebron Research Institute
Hospital/Clinical/Other Winners
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Top Organization Award: Mars
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Winning Streak Award: Boston Children’s Hospital
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Large Lab Award: Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia Quality Assurance Program Lab, RCPAQAP
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Medium Lab Award: Pishesha Lab, Boston Children's Hospital
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Small Lab Award: CRB/CIC1403 Lab, CHU de Lille (France)
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Biorepository Award: Edinburgh Lab, IQVIA
Government Sector Winners
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Top Organization Award: Cefas
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Large Lab Award: NEORSD Analytical Services Lab, Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District
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Medium Lab Award: R-Chem Lab, Cefas
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Small Lab Award: Ecora Lab, Cefas
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Biorepository Award: Statewide Biobank, New South Wales Health Pathology
Honorable Mention, Organizations
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The Institute of Cancer Research
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Imperial College London
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University of Georgia
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National Institutes of Health
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Labcorp
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IQVIA
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Sanofi
Honorable Mention, Laboratories
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HZG 3 Lab, Paul-Ehrlich-Institut
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Biobank, Chan Soon-Shiong Institute of Molecular Medicine at Windber
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Teaching Lab, ITQB Nova
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Dobos Lab, Colorado State University
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Devens Upstream Bio-Process Development Lab, Bristol-Myers Squibb
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IDD - Cell & Sample Technologies Lab, Sanofi
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Geneva Lab, Labcorp
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Genseq Lab, Genseq
You can find resources and information on how winners are determined on the Freezer Challenge website and complete the interest form to be notified when registration for the 2026 Freezer Challenge opens.